


Encased

by Xemriss



Category: Flight Rising, Original Work
Genre: M/M, Original Character(s), Tuchariin Okull
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-04
Updated: 2019-08-07
Packaged: 2019-10-04 05:41:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 1,840
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17298842
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Xemriss/pseuds/Xemriss
Summary: Xilu's eyes snapped open as soon as his arm heavily landed on the bed where Peryite's body should be. He groggily squinted into the dark room, felt a wave of relief at the familiar heat signature that belonged to his lover.(Tuchariin's second arc!)





	1. Awakened

**Author's Note:**

> Characters are in humanoid form.

**[Xilu](http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=2956259)** ’s eyes snapped open as soon as his arm heavily landed on the bed where **[Peryite](http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=43054969)** ’s body should be. He groggily squinted into the dark room, felt a wave of relief at the familiar heat signature that belonged to his lover. **  
**

The fog quickly cleared as confusion and concern took root when he realized Peryite’s form was pressed against the far wall, unmoving, as if listening for something.

“Per?” Xilu tentatively tried. He hauled himself out of bed when he received neither a reaction or response, easily shook off the feeling of vertigo as he made his way across the room.

“There’s something here,” Peryite quietly offered as soon as Xilu was within arms reach. If it wasn’t for the current situation, he would’ve mused if his lover was the one with extra eyes.

Instead, Xilu tensed at the new information, frowned when a quick glance around the bedroom yielded nothing. “Where?”

“Inside the glacier.”


	2. Blocked

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For as long as he had known Shadow, he couldn’t recall a single time that took them such a troublingly _considerable_ amount of time to locate something.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Characters are in humanoid form.

[**Xilu**](http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=2956259) quietly stood at the opposite end of the table from his Tracker. He watched [**Shadow**](http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=43065755)’s hands, shrouded in dull green magic, obsessively smooth themselves over the map of Tuchariin’s territory with rapidly growing impatience; their harsh muttering mixed with the light jingling of their clothes’ chains only punctuated the growing oddness of the situation.

For as long as he had known Shadow, he couldn’t recall a single time that took them such a troublingly _considerable_  amount of time to locate something.

Xilu’s thoughts were interrupted when Shadow’s posture abruptly straightened, and he frowned in response to being on the receiving end of their frustration.

“Stop playing with us.”

“I’m not playing with you.”

“Then _where is it_?”

After a beat of silence, Shadow’s glare slid to [**Peryite**](http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=43054969). The exhausted mage was curled up in a nearby chair with a vacant look on his face, clearly attempting to tune out the incessant whispering that had been plaguing him since the night before. Xilu couldn’t help the pang of guilt at not being able to do more for him.

Xilu barely had a chance to blink as Shadow bared their teeth and swiftly vaulted over the wide table. They hauled Peryite to his feet, ignoring Xilu’s firm hand on their shoulder as they gave a frustrated hiss and shook Peryite by his upper arms.

“ _Why are you wasting our time_?”

“Shadow,” Xilu evenly warned.

The tension in the room was heavy as Peryite dazedly blinked between them, yet before he could attempt an answer realization flickered through Shadow’s face. Xilu quickly steadied the mage after Shadow released him and turned back to the map, yet neither were able to get in a few deep breaths of air before —

“Here.”

Xilu blinked at Shadow’s back, and when he returned to the table after helping a shaken Peryite sit, Shadow was triumphantly grinning at him.

“We did it. We found it,” Shadow crooned, their finger rapidly tapping at a spot on the map. “The noise will soon be no more.”

A mix of relief, confusion, and, surprisingly, dread filled Xilu’s chest when his eyes flicked down. He’d question the placement if his Tracker was anyone else.

“You were right,” Xilu confirmed, locking eyes with Peryite. “It _is_ inside the glacier.”


	3. Silence

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The only thing that kept Xilu from heading for the revealed location at that moment was Peryite’s wide eyes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Characters are in humanoid form.
> 
> ' _Loh_ ' is Xe'mi for 'love'.

The only thing that kept [**Xilu**](http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=2956259) from heading for the revealed location at that moment was [**Peryite**](http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=43054969)’s wide eyes.

“ _No_ ,” Peryite whispered, what little color left in his face drained away.

“Yes.”

Peryite quickly shook his head, panic bubbling up as he spoke. “No! I would’ve sensed it moving through the wards. I—”

Xilu strode across the room and dropped to his knees in front of Peryite, rubbed his thighs soothingly. “No, no, no. It’s not your fault. What if… what if whatever’s been causing it has been here the whole time? Hiding?”

“Hiding?” Peryite echoed, unconvinced.

“What if… something activated it? The group that recently trespassed? Or the strange weather anomalies caused by the Tidelord’s abrupt silence? Or…” he shrugged, “something else we haven’t caught wind of, yet?” Xilu helped Peryite to his feet, protectively wrapped an arm around Peryite’s waist when he leaned against him. “The glacier’s immense, _loh_. There’s bound to be things stashed away, long forgotten.”

Peryite heavily exhaled as Xilu rubbed his back. “I hope it’s some _thing_ , not some _one_.”

With a nod of agreement, he gently steered Peryite towards the door, who spoke up when they reached it.

“It… it’s stopped,” he hesitantly said, as if afraid his words would trigger the whispers to start up again. “It’s gone silent, Xii. I… I don’t know how long…” Xilu tightened his hold when Peryite looked at him, tears threatening to punctuate his exhausted face. “I don’t…” he thickly swallowed, then quickly wiped at his cheek and shyly smiled. “Carry me?”

Xilu warmly smiled back, would gladly reshape Sornieth for him if asked. “Of course.” He swept Peryite into his arms with ease, despite the barely noticeable height difference, and headed back to their room; was glad that the halls were empty. With how Peryite’s weight settled in his arms as he walked, he knew he had fallen asleep.

The door opened on its own as they neared. Xilu carefully laid Peryite on their bed, wiped the dried tear streaks from his sleeping face and tucked him in, then sat on the bed by his side. He watched Peryite sleep until seconds melded into minutes; ached to join him, yet knew he couldn’t until whatever was causing the whispers was found.

“Rest well, Per,” he murmured, planting a kiss on Peryite’s forehead. “I’ll return to you soon. Hopefully with the answer to what’s been terrorizing you.” His next kiss lingered, and then he forced himself to leave the room.


	4. Thawed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Xilu wanted Peryite to come with him, to get the answers he deserved, yet was selfishly glad he wasn’t. The last thing either of them needed was for the source of the whispers to get the upper hand by using Peryite as leverage if it felt threatened.
> 
> “Keep an eye on him,” Xilu said as he closed the door to his and Peryite’s room behind him. “We’ll be back soon.”
> 
> Falaeron nervously shuffled and nodded as he glanced to Seramune, who looked as unperturbed as ever. “Always.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Characters are in humanoid form.

[**Xilu**](http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=2956259) wanted [**Peryite**](http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=43054969) to come with him, to get the answers he deserved, yet was selfishly glad he wasn’t. The last thing either of them needed was for the source of the whispers to get the upper hand by using Peryite as leverage if it felt threatened.

“Keep an eye on him,” Xilu said as he closed the door to his and Peryite’s room behind him. “We’ll be back soon.”

[**Falaeron**](http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=43625575) nervously shuffled and nodded as he glanced to [**Seramune**](http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=43444219), who looked as unperturbed as ever. “Always.”

* * *

 

With Seramune by his side, Xilu followed [**Shadow**](http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=43065755) through the long, dark, winding tunnels of the glacier they called home. [**Vu**](http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=13723064) trailed behind, kept a wide berth between the two groups in case of an ambush or cave in.

The minutes slowly became hours, and the only sounds were of lightly echoing footsteps and Shadow’s occasional mumbling. Xilu wondered how much farther, yet knew better than to ask.

As if on cue, Shadow abruptly came to a stop as they rounded a corner, and Xilu’s curiosity was answered as a softly illuminated tunnel came into view.

“In there,” Shadow whispered without turning. “Not sleeping anymore. Waiting for Leader. Knew you were coming since we shook the Precious One.”

At the mention of their treatment of Peryite, Xilu disapprovingly frowned at the back of Shadow’s head. “How do you know, Shadow?”

Shadow glanced back at Xilu, their grin hinted that he was on the outside of some inside joke. “Ready for you. Doesn’t want to wait anymore. Go, go! So much to say — to share.” Their grin faded into a look of disgust. “Says Leader’s the only one worthy. We think that’s bullshit.”

“How long have you heard the whispers?”

“Since we shook Precious One.”

Xilu exhaled, made a note to talk to Shadow about keeping such information from him. He willed himself to not show how nervous he was as he headed for the tunnel, yet spun back around when Seramune’s, “Let go of me,” was answered with a hiss.

“No,” Shadow growled, their hand still firmly gripped Seramune’s arm. “Leader meets _alone_ , or Leader doesn’t go in _at all_.”

“It’s alright, Sera,” Xilu reassured. “Wait here. Be ready.”

He watched Seramune work out what he assumed to be the pros and cons in her head before yielding. “Fine,” she hissed through gritted teeth, glaring at Shadow. “Now _release me_.”

“Good! Good.” Shadow yanked their hand away as if burned and turned their attention back to Xilu. “Leader, go! Go.”

Xilu looked between them, then past them at Vu, who was silently idling down the way they came, then turned and resumed walking towards the soft, eerie blue light.

The tunnel morphed into a spiral staircase; everything about it was too symmetrical to have occurred naturally.

Xilu stopped to look around as soon as he made it to the bottom. The room was large, walls and ceiling smooth. The same light that had illuminated his way down filled the room — originated from a raised platform made of ice that sat in the center.

He slowly walked towards it, kept alert for signs of movement or heat. “Hello?”

_There you are_.

Xilu spun around on his heel, hand flying to the hilt of his sword out of habit. He tensed when he didn’t see anyone. “Where are you?”

_Down here_.

He automatically looked down at his feet, confusedly scanned the floor around him.

_Apologies_. _Behind you_ , the voice patiently whispered, _follow the light_.

Xilu turned back to the platform with a sigh, rapidly closed the distance between it and himself, then hesitantly climbed onto it. He held his breath as he waited for something to happen — expected a trap. His exhale of relief when nothing happened morphed into a gasp as he finally realized _what_ the source of the soft blue light was — a body frozen in the ice just below the surface.

_Touch the ice_. _I can do the rest_.

Xilu moved without thought, knelt by the body and laid a hand over their torso. He felt the ice immediately begin to melt under his touch, watched the ice surrounding them rapidly melt as if left under the hot afternoon sunlight in Earth.

The stranger slowly sat up, sucked in a large breath of air as soon as their face breached the surface, as if they had been drowning. Xilu wordlessly helped them out of the small pool of ice water, noting that their skin was already fairly warm to the touch, and draped his fur-lined cloak around their naked form as they began to shiver.

_Kinder than the last one_ , they noted, their mouth unmoving and eyes unfocused. _Thank you_.

Xilu knelt next to them. “I have questions,” he simply replied, unsure of where to begin.

_I do not have enough energy for walking **and** discussion, but I will give you this: my name, when translated to your tongue, is **[Namu’nxiima](http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=48170901)**_. _I was awakened because of the sudden imbalance of life energy across Sornieth_.

“It’s happened before?”

_Nothing occurs only once_. _Please help me up_.

He didn’t take Namu’nxiima’s deflection to heart as he helped them to their feet. “The walk back’s far. Are you strong enough to make it?”

_I should, yes_.

Xilu led Namu’nxiima off the platform then up the staircase; the mystery of the whispers replaced with something bigger.

**Author's Note:**

> Find me on tumblr (fr: [**@frxemriss**](https://frxemriss.tumblr.com/), nsfw: [**@ifisitsitfits**](https://ifisitsitfits.tumblr.com/)) and twitter (main: [**@xemriss**](https://twitter.com/Xemriss), nsfw: [**@ifisitsitfits**](https://twitter.com/ifisitsitfits)) _!_ <3


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